Diamond in the Rough

By
Guest

April 16, 2016

Check out Jeff Edelson's nice 101, and read his story
below. Click each picture for a closer view.

Looking to trade in my newer model Simplicity 12HP hydrostat riding mower for a heavier duty older style tractor type model, I was thrilled to find this 1968 Simplicity Landlord 101 for sale at a nearby Simplicity/Toro Garden center. She was real rough (cosmetically) when I found her, apparently stored outdoors for quite some time. But when she started right up without a whiff of smoke, I knew I found a "diamond in the rough!" I spent the next 6 weeks basically cleaning, polishing, and hand sanding the entire tractor and refinishing it with more than a dozen cans of Simplicity spray paint (ouch, that was expensive!), a new gas cap, and a few customized odds & ends I already had in my garage. I'm no pro, as you can see from a little overspraying, but I'll continue to keep her in great shape (and stored indoors)! I was told by the salesman this was a one-owner tractor - since he gave me the original factory manual with it, I believe him!

Thanks very much for hosting such a great website and forum for Simplicity owners to share their stories.